Vaccinology/early-stage vaccine research

Prevention and Response to Emerging viruses with Pandemic potential in Africa (PREPARE)

This project will enhance Africa’s capacity to combat emerging and reemerging pathogens by establishing key nodes across South, East, and West Africa focused on clinical disease surveillance, diagnostic and genomic capacity, and vaccine development. This is in recognition of the fact that robust One Health research networks are essential for the early detection, prevention, and control of epidemic-prone vector-borne, zoonotic and respiratory viruses.

Through this programme, clinical sites in South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Côte d'Ivoire will use both retrospectively-collected samples and expanded prospective syndromic surveillance in humans, animals and the environment to detect both known and unknown pathogens and to implement multi-pathogen molecular, serological and rapid diagnostics. Capacity strengthening is a cornerstone of this programme and enhances local capacity to respond effectively during evolving epidemics and pandemics while also fostering sustainable and resilient research networks for epidemic preparedness throughout Africa.

This comprehensive approach facilitates the rapid development of strategies and products aimed to minimize the impact of emerging pathogens.

About the Consortium Lead

Dr Florah Karimi is a higher education and research capacity-strengthening expert within the African region with over 25 years of experience across various organisations – including the Ministry of Education in Kenya, quality assurance agencies, research institutions and universities. She currently heads the research and related capacity-strengthening portfolio at the African Population and Health Research Center and is a board member of the Kenyan National Research Fund. She has successfully managed grantees, networks and partnerships, including the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa, and has led several tried and proven research and related capacity-strengthening projects and interventions – all geared towards strengthening the entire research and development ecosystem within the African Region. She has also won grants worth more than US$25 million and published several peer-reviewed articles on higher education, research and research capacity strengthening in Africa. She holds a doctoral degree in Education.